


The Bridge

by DaniCarli



Category: Escape the Night (Web Series), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Acceptance, Afterlife, Angst with a Happy Ending, Best Friends, Bittersweet, Bridge - Freeform, Character Death, Death, Death from Old Age, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gen, Growing Old Together, Heaven, Hospitals, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, Love, Male-Female Friendship, Memories, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Moving On, Old Age, Old Friends, Old Married Couple, Reunions, Sad, Sad and Happy, Sad with a Happy Ending, Survivor - Freeform, Tears, Who Lives Who Dies Who Tells Your Story, You May Cry, bonds between the survivors, content with life, fulfilling a legacy, fulfillment, looking back on a long life, moving forward, remembering, soul siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-14
Updated: 2019-11-14
Packaged: 2021-01-30 20:30:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21434260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaniCarli/pseuds/DaniCarli
Summary: Matt has lived a long happy life and now it's time to move on.  As he says his goodbyes to loved ones, he prepares to move on and reunite with someone he lost so long ago.
Relationships: Matthew Patrick/Stephanie Patrick, The Detective | Matthew Patrick & The Jet Setter | Rosanna Pansino
Comments: 24
Kudos: 45





	The Bridge

**Author's Note:**

> This is based on a conversation I had with canyoufeelthemagictonight about the survivors eventually dying after living long happy lives. This headcanon came about and it was something I felt needed to have a sweet ending since we didn't necessarily get one between our two little birds in S4. I drew inspiration from a poem titled The Rainbow Bridge and it led to this.   
Apologies for any tears that may be shed reading this. Enjoy!  
P.S. There are a few Easter eggs. Let me know if you spot them. ;)

Matt knows Death very well. And he knew that Death would come for him again...only this time, there will be no reverse, no revival, no harp to bring him back. However, Matt’s fine with that. In fact, he’s ready.

The last ninety-six years of his life have been a blessing, one he would never trade for the world, not even the horrors that ended his first life and granted him a second one sixty-five years ago, not even the events that took precious friends from him.

Matt made the most of his second chance, and in his mind, he succeeded. He spent his time leaving his mark to create a better world and made unbreakable bonds with the most unlikely of people. One being Nikita Dragun, who left the world way too early. But, like Matt, his survival partner accepted it and went out like the bad bitch he knew and loved. In her final moments, she made him promise (in typical Nikita fashion) that he live a long incredible life and continue their legacy, along with the others who survived those nights. To do and be better. And he did.

Now, the work is done, most of the other survivors have long passed, and he’s ready to move forward. As a ninety-six year old man, there isn’t much he can do on his own. Matt always loved being independent so ninety-six years old was a good enough age to sign out.

A couple of days before, Tyler Oakley came to visit him one final time. The two reminisced as the last of the survivors, what they've accomplished together, and how much they missed the others, especially Nikita and Andrea Russett, Tyler’s partner. The last words exchanged between the men were Matt advising Tyler to keep going, despite being ninety-three years old. Tyler was very healthy and fit for his age (which made Matt kind of jealous) and could very well live to be one hundred. Matt told his friend to keep the legacy alive as long as possible, so that no one will forget the people they loved and lost from those nights, and retain that light as much as he can. Tyler tearfully promised, and it was all both needed. As the former Thespian and soon-to-be last survivor left, the former Detective trusted his friend will keep his promise. He believes it.

As Matt’s elderly, frail body rests in the hospital bed, the old man with his still-young spirit tiredly looks around the room.

Aside from the flowers, Get Well Soon cards, drawings from his four year old great-grandson and namesake, and his whole life displayed in pictures, Matt turns to the faces of his family that came in his final hour.

He takes in the moment to look at his grandchildren, all grown and full of love and personality, thought and wonder; each determined to follow in their Gramps’s footsteps in leaving the world a better place than it was before. Matt couldn’t be any more proud of them.

Matt’s eyes fall next onto Ollie. His son’s brown hair is showing gray, and yet, he retains such a youthful appearance, flashing the goofy smile passed down by Matt as he lovingly grips his father’s hand, trying to hold back tears. Beside Ollie, Matt’s daughter cries as she looks upon her father, her cheeks as rosy as her name, her eyes showing her unconditional love and admiration for him, a kind smile on her face that he knows too well. Out of his many accomplishments, Matt’s children are his favorite and his greatest.

Finally, caressing his other hand, still as beautiful as the day he met her, is his wife of more than seventy years, Stephanie. Her aged hands intertwine with his, their wedding bands touching, the satisfaction of the life they created together. Matt treasures every moment they had, relishes her face, and takes in every second. He would like to stay a bit longer, but both he and Stephanie know that it’s time.

As the sands of his life prickle away, Stephanie looks to their family, then back at her husband.

“It’s alright, Matthew,” she sweetly tells him. “We’re going to be okay. You can let go now. Go to them. Go to her.”

Matt smiles. A small tear of his slips from his eye. He has waited so long, and now, the time is here. Taking one last look at his loved ones, he turns to Stephanie. “I love you forever. Make your own story, and tell us about it when your time comes. We’ll see you then.”

Stephanie smiles and slowly leans forward to give her husband one final kiss upon his head. As her lips meet his skin, a warm darkness embraces Matt as Death takes him away. Unlike last time, it was peaceful and accepting. No violence, no pain, no fear.

A light then suddenly appears. When Matt opens his eyes next, he is no longer in the hospital. He’s not even an old man anymore.

He is now in what appears to be a meadow. The sun shines its warmth on his restored youthful skin as a slight breeze flies through his returned brown hair. Flowers bloom along the grass, and a river flows slightly towards a small village, cozy cottages sweetly beckoning him to come forward. Leading to the village is a bridge, a cross between his previous life and the new life that awaits him.

Matt glances down at his hands. The skin is no longer wrinkled and frail, yet his wedding ring is still intact. It occurs to him that he has become the young man he once was sixty-five years ago, one full of life, hope, and determination, one who fought the evil and won. He is that man again, and it feels so good.

Only one thing is missing…

“Matt?”

Matt looks up, and the sight before him takes his breath away. His eyes well up, tears of joy coming forth. There stands a sight he has waited many years to see, just as vibrant and beautiful as the day he lost her.

He makes his way across the bridge, but she meets him halfway, her familiar screams of delight and happiness as she dashes forward and embraces him. As he sweeps her small figure up into his arms, all the memories and well-known feelings come flooding back.

The softness of her light brown hair against his face, the sweet smell of flowers and fresh cookies. Her pixie laugh that he loved more than anything. Her positive light flowing into him, no more pain and despair. It was all there. She was there.

“I missed you so much, Ro!” Matt sobs as he holds the sweet and amazing girl he lost all those years ago.

He feels her squeeze him close as if she imagined this moment too. “I missed you too!”

When they finally break apart, he's able to fully take in her appearance. Still the amazing girl, best friend, and sister that he remembers.

Matt glances towards the village. “The others?”

Rosanna grins widely, wiping away her tears. “They’re all here, and they’ll be so happy to see you, especially two very specific girls who missed you just as much as I did!”

Matt knows exactly who she’s talking about. “I have a lot to tell you.”

Rosanna’s demeanor sparkles as she holds out her hand and gestures to the other side. “You ready?”

As he accepts her hand, Matt takes one last look behind him, finally content and resolved. “Yes.”

His best friend smiles even more. “Let’s go home.”

Together at last, the two reunited best friends and soul siblings walk across the bridge.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm proud of this piece and I hope you all enjoyed it too. Please leave a kudo and a comment telling me what you think and if this is something you would like to see more of. I will see if canyoufeelthemagictonight wants in given she is working on something similar (go check her out as well, she's amazing and talented!)  
I thank you all and until next time!


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